Baseball base ground fastening device

ABSTRACT

A baseball base ground fastening device has an elongated member having a screw at one end adapted to be placed into and held in the ground and a closed elongated loop at another end. Two rods with 90* bends are movably mounted in the elongated loop for movement from first positions in which the planes defined by the bent rods are normal to the axis of the screw to second positions in which the planes are substantially parallel to the axis of the screw. Means are provided at the free ends of the bent rods for connecting the latter to the base.

[ 1 Sept. 17, 1974 United States Patent [191 Golomb BASEBALL BASE GROUND FASTENING DEVICE [7 Inventor: David L. Golomb, Port Washington, Primary EXaminerRichard C. Pinkham N.Y. Assistant ExaminerTheatrice Brown Assignee: Everlast World Boxing Attorney, Agent, or FirmFriedman & Goodman Headquarters C0rp., Bronx, NY.

Sept. 13 1972 ABSTRACT [22] Filed:

A baseball base ground fastening device has an elonated member having a screw at one end adapted to laced into and held in the ground and a closed ated loop at another end. Two rods with 90 m eh be 50 31 77 b 1 G W sm A U] i] 1 21 2 55 bends are movably mounted in the elongated loop for movement from first positions in which the planes de- [58] Field of Search..........,. 273/25; 119/21, 22, 23;

43/2 248/361 A; 224/ 58 fined by the bent rods are normal to the axis of the References Cited screw to second positions in which the planes are sub- UNITED STATES PATENTS stantially parallel to the axis of the screw. Means are provided at the free ends of the bent rods for connecting the latter to the base.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 26,738 2 1909 Switzerland...,.................... 119/121 7 6 Dmwmg Flgures BASEBALL BASE GROUND FASTENING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus used in the game of baseball, and more particularly to the construction of a fastening device for fastening a baseball plate to the ground.

Baseball bases with ground fastening rods are already known. The known ground fastening devices, however, consist of an anchoring member which is elongated and defines an axis. Integrally connected with the anchoring member at one end thereof is usually a flat plate or set of cross members which define a plane which is normal to the axis of the anchoring member. Examples of SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a baseball ground fastening device which is not possessed of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device as above described which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device of the type under discussion which is convenient to ship and store.

A further object is to provide a fastening device for baseball bases which is collapsible after use and which occupies a small volume when so collapsed.

In order to achieve the above and other objects which will become apparent hereafter, a baseball base ground fastening device in accordance with the present invention comprises elongated anchoring means defining a first axis and having one end configurated to be placed and held in the ground. Said anchoring means has another end provided with holding means. At least one elongated base retaining means is provided, said base retaining means defining at least one second axis and configurated to be connected to a baseball base. Said retaining means is movably connected in said holding means and is movable between a first position wherein said second axis lies in a plane substantially parallel to said first axis to a second position wherein said second axis is substantially normal to said first axis.

According to a presently preferred embodiment, two retaining means are provided, each retaining means comprising two integral elongated portions including an angle of approximately 90 and defining a plane, said portions together forming an X-shape when said retaining means are each moved to their second positions. Also, said one end of said anchoring means is configurated in the form of a screw and said-retaining means has a free end configurated to be connected to a baseball base. Where the fastening device is utilized with a base provided with straps. said free end can be provided with an elongated loop configurated to receive a base trap. Said holding means comprises a substantially closed loop formed at the other end of said anchoring means, said retaining means being configurated to pass through said loop. It is presently contemplated that said anchoring means as well as said retaining means are advantageously formed from elongated rods.

With a baseball base retaining device as above defined, the bases can be fastened to the grounds in a manner similar as with prior retaining devices. However, the present device folds up, subsequent to use, into a substantially flat package wherein all the members lie in substantially parallel adjacent planes and the ground fastening devices may be easily stored and shipped. Additionally, the present construction is extremely simple and requires very few manufacturing steps this being particularly important insofar as the costs of manufacturing the devices are concerned.

As used herein, the term baseball bases include all forms of bases, whether used for baseball or softball or other forms of ball.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a baseball base with the ground fastening device in accordance with the present invention attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a fragmented side elevational cross-section of the ground fastening device as shown in FIG. 1, showing the movable arms in a plane normal to the axis defined by the anchoring screw;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the ground fastening device of FIG. 2, showing the direction of movement of the movable arms when the ground fastening device is collapsed for storage or shipment;

FIG. 4 is a fragmented front elevational view of a ground fastening device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, showing those portions of the arms held in the anchoring device to be vertically aligned;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show possible configurations of the ground fastening device shown in FIG. 1 which are suitable for shipment and/or storage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A base 10, with respectto which the present invention will be described, is itself conventional and does not form a part of the present invention except insofar as it must include means which are connectable to the ground fastening device. Thus, the base 10 is shown to be generally rectangular and having four sides 12. The means by which the base 10 is to be attached or fastened to the ground fastening device, in the embodiment to be described, includes two straps 14 which are mutually perpendicular to one another and extend between the two different pairs of opposite sides 12. The straps 14 are disengageable from one of the sides by means of buckles 16 so as to provide free ends of the straps which may be received in a portion of the ground fastening device, as will hereafter be described. Al-

though the present invention will be described in connection with a base which includes straps 14, it should also be noted that the subject ground fastening device may be utilized with other bases so long as means are provided for rigidly securing the base to the ground fastening device.

The ground fastening device is shown in FIG. 1 to include an anchoring screw 22 which is adapted to be placed into and held in the ground in a conventional manner. The screw 22 forms one end of a longitudinal member, the other end of which comprises a holding means in the form of a closed or bent loop 25. The bent loop 25 can best be seen in FIG. 2. Advantageously, the screw 22 and the closed loop 25 are formed from an integral metal rod which is preferably resistant to corrosion.

Journaled in the closed loop 25 are two retaining means each consisting of a pair of arms which include an angle of approximately 90. Arms 24a and 24b form a first retaining means, while arms 26a and 26b form another retaining means. The two arms of each retaining means are preferably integral with one another and bent at the journaling point at a bent portion. Bent portion 26c, for example, best can be seen in FIG. 6. As with the screw 22 and the closed loop 25, each of the retaining means are advantageously made from a metallic rod which is resistant to corrosion. At the end of each of the arms, there are provided elongated loops 28 which have widths approximately equal to the widths of the straps 14 and so configurated as to be capable of receiving the latter.

One of the important structural features of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. Here, the closed loop 25 is shown to be somewhat elongated and having a width substantially equal to twice the diameter of the rods out of which the arms 24b and 26b are made. However, the width of the closed loop 25 is made slightly larger so as to leave some clearance within the loop in order to permit the retaining means to both turn about the bent portions and slide longitudinally along the various arms.

FIG. 2 illustrates the relative positions of the retaining means and the anchoring screw during use of the ground fastening device. The screw 22 is shown to define an axis XX which, during use of the device, is normally in a vertical direction since the screw 22 is placed directly downwardly into the ground. During normal use, each retaining means generally lies in a horizontal plane since each of the retaining means normally rests on the ground. In the embodiment shown, each retaining means defines a plane in which each of the integral arms lie. During use, the planes of each of the retaining means are normally perpendicular to the axis XX. Also, each of the arms of the retaining means itself defines an axis which, during use is generally normal to the axis XX. This condition, during normal use, is defined for the purposes of the present description and the claims as a first position of the retaining means.

FIG. 3 illustrates an intermediate position of the retaining means as shown in FIG. 2 during collapse of the device when the latter is no longer in use. As mentioned above, the loop 25 has sufficient clearance therein to permit turning of the retaining means about the bent portions. Thus, each of the retaining means is movable to a position wherein the planes defined thereby are each generally parallel to the axis XX of the screw 22. As will be appreciated from a comparison between FIGS. 1 and 3, the collapsed device of FIG. 3 is substantially less bulky now lying in an imaginary rectangular enclosure whose height is approximately equal to the width of the closed loop 25. Also, the embodiment thus far described, and illustrated in FIGS. l-3, includes a substantially horizontal elongated loop 25 with the two bent portions being horizontally aligned one in back of the other.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the closed loop 25 is elongated in a vertical direction and the bent portions are aligned in a vertical direction one on top of the other. Either of these configurations of the closed loop 25 is equally feasible and both may be utilized to obtain the benefits of the present invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate two further configurations which may be obtained by suitably moving the retaining means relative to the closed loop 25 each of these new configurations being similarly suitable for shipment and/or storage. In FIG. 5, the two retaining means are turned towards opposite directions about their bent portions within the closed loop 25. On the other hand, in FIG. 6, the retaining means are moved so that the straight arms of each of the retaining means are journaled through the closed loop 25. Insofar as an imaginary rectangular volume which can enclose each of the collapsed configurations of the ground fastening device, the configuration of FIG. 6 requires the smallest volume of such an imaginary rectangular box. It should be noted that in each of the collapsed configurations, the planes defined by the retaining means as well as the axes of the individual arms of the retaining means are all in planes substantially parallel to the axis XX of the screw 22. These positions, for the purposes of this description, as well as the claims, are referred to as the second position of the retaining means.

Instead of providing elongated loops 28 which receive the straps 14, other means may be provided at the free ends of the arms of the retaining means for engaging the base 10. Thus, each of the free ends of the arms may extend beyond the edges of the sides 12 and include bent portions which engage the sides 12. Alternately, the free ends of the arms of the retaining means may include bent portions which include hooks which can pierce or otherwise engage the bottom of the base 10. Such engaging means are well known and need not further be described.

The manner in which the baseball base ground fastening device is used will now be described. If the retaining means are arranged as shown either in FIGS. 35, wherein the bent portions of the retaining means are journaled in the closed loop 25, it is merely necessary to turn each of the retaining means in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3 until each of the retaining means generally lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis XX of the screw 22 as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. If the retaining means have been moved to positions as shown in FIG. 6 for storage or shipment, each of the retaining means is first translated or moved longitudinally along its supported arm inside the closed loop 25 until the bent portions of each of the retaining means are positioned therein. Subsequently, the procedure is the same as that for the other configurations just described. Once the retaining means are extended as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the

straps 14 of the base may then be passed through the respective elongated loops 28 and fastened to the opposite sides 12 by means of buckles 16. After the ground fastening device is connected to the base 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the entire assembled unit may then be fastened the ground in a conventional manner. After the anchoring screw 22 has sufficiently moved downwardly into the ground so that the arms of the retaining means rest on the surface thereof, the baseball base is ready to be used.

Although described in connection with baseball bases, it should be noted that the subject invention may equally be used in connection with other athletic devices which are to be anchored to the ground. For example, the present anchoring device may be used to secure tackling dummies, field goals, field markers and sporting standards to the ground.

Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be construed as a limitation of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. Anchoring device for fastening athletic apparatus to ground comprising elongate anchoring means defining a first axis and having one end configurated to be placed into and held in the ground, said anchoring means having another end provided with holding means; two sets of two elongate retaining means, each retaining means defining a second axis and configurated to be connected to the athletic apparatus, the two retaining means of each set being integrally connected to one another and include an angle of 90 between their respective second axes, said retaining means being movably connected in said holding means, and each set defining a plane substantially parallel to said first axis in the first positions of the respective retaining means and a plane substantially normal to said first axis in the second positions of the respective retaining means.

2. Anchoring device for fastening athletic apparatus to ground comprising elongated anchoring means defining a first axis and having one end configurated to be placed into and held in the ground, said anchoring means having another end provided with holding means; two sets of two integrally connected elongate retaining means, each set of retaining means defining a plane and configurated to be connected to the athletic apparatus, each set of retaining means being movably connected in said holding means and movable between a first position wherein a respective plane of a set of retaining means lies in a plane substantially parallel to said first axis to a second position wherein the respective plane is substantially normal to said first axis, the two retaining means of each set including an angle of approximately said retaining means together forming an X-shape when said retaining means are each moved to their second positions.

3. Anchoring device for fastening athletic apparatus to ground comprising elongate anchoring means defining an axis and having one end configurated to be placed in the ground, said anchoring means being provided at the other end thereof with holding means; two rods each bent to form two arms angularly disposed a predetermined angle with respect to each other, each pair of arms forming a respective rod defining a plane, each rod being connected to said anchoring means at said holding means and movable between a first position wherein the plane of a respective rod is substantially parallel to said axis and a second position wherein the plane of the respective rod is substantially normal to said axis.

4. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein said one end of said anchoring means is configurated in the form of a screw.

5. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein each arm is provided with a loop at the respective free end thereof configurated to receive a strap of an athletic apparatus.

6. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein said holding means is in the form of a substantially closed loop suitable for receiving said two bent rods.

7. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein said two bent rods together form an X-shape when disposed in said second positions. 

1. Anchoring device for fastening athletic apparatus to ground comprising elongate anchoring means defining a first axis and having one end configurated to be placed into and held in the ground, said anchoring means having another end provided with holding means; two sets of two elongate retaining meaNs, each retaining means defining a second axis and configurated to be connected to the athletic apparatus, the two retaining means of each set being integrally connected to one another and include an angle of 90* between their respective second axes, said retaining means being movably connected in said holding means, and each set defining a plane substantially parallel to said first axis in the first positions of the respective retaining means and a plane substantially normal to said first axis in the second positions of the respective retaining means.
 2. Anchoring device for fastening athletic apparatus to ground comprising elongated anchoring means defining a first axis and having one end configurated to be placed into and held in the ground, said anchoring means having another end provided with holding means; two sets of two integrally connected elongate retaining means, each set of retaining means defining a plane and configurated to be connected to the athletic apparatus, each set of retaining means being movably connected in said holding means and movable between a first position wherein a respective plane of a set of retaining means lies in a plane substantially parallel to said first axis to a second position wherein the respective plane is substantially normal to said first axis, the two retaining means of each set including an angle of approximately 90*, said retaining means together forming an X-shape when said retaining means are each moved to their second positions.
 3. Anchoring device for fastening athletic apparatus to ground comprising elongate anchoring means defining an axis and having one end configurated to be placed in the ground, said anchoring means being provided at the other end thereof with holding means; two rods each bent to form two arms angularly disposed a predetermined angle with respect to each other, each pair of arms forming a respective rod defining a plane, each rod being connected to said anchoring means at said holding means and movable between a first position wherein the plane of a respective rod is substantially parallel to said axis and a second position wherein the plane of the respective rod is substantially normal to said axis.
 4. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein said one end of said anchoring means is configurated in the form of a screw.
 5. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein each arm is provided with a loop at the respective free end thereof configurated to receive a strap of an athletic apparatus.
 6. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein said holding means is in the form of a substantially closed loop suitable for receiving said two bent rods.
 7. Anchoring device as defined in claim 3, wherein said two bent rods together form an X-shape when disposed in said second positions. 